Full House Take 2 finally gets an airdate

Finally. Full House 2—aka Full House Take 2—has at long (long) last found a home on a television schedule. The show got on air in Japan even before it managed to at home; it premiered just days ago (October 5) on Japan’s TBS, while Korea will have to wait a few extra weeks for it to show on SBS Plus.

That’s… anticlimactic. While we here at Dramabeans have much love for cable television, that appreciation usually comes for shows that were intended for cable, and the greater creative license that cable affords. However, this case is different, since Full House 2 was meant to be a big broadcast production and floundered—literally for years—to find someone to air it. It feels a lot like this drama’s being relegated to a shadowy corner of the cable box, to be burned off on the downlow.

This is a sequel that should have come with tremendous buzz—after all, the original series was a mega-smash hit, got exported everywhere, and shot its already popular leads Rain and Song Hye-gyo to superstardom. Yet the sequel kept hitting snags, and while its production company tried to find a station to air it, scheduling conflicts caused a whole wave of castings and uncastings and recastings (heck, just skimming over the Related Posts headlines below gives you an idea of how confusing things got).

Frankly, a sequel without the original stars and set in a totally different world isn’t much of a sequel at all. Essentially Take 2 uses the initial premise of a movie star falling for an ordinary girl, and goes from there. Which is already like a dozen other K-dramas anyway. In this version, Noh Min-woo plays a top star who enters into a fake engagement with aspiring reporter Hwang Jung-eum, while idol star Park Ki-woong steps in as the third leg of that love triangle.

I was beginning to wonder if Full House 2 would be shelved forever—and I actually wonder whether it would have been better off that way, if only for the sake if its stars. The leads have since added more serious work to their resumés, and the delay in getting this show broadcast might seem like a regression. Remember Joo Sang-wook filming Paradise Ranch first, then getting lauded for a career-turnaround role in the intense drama Giant, only to have Paradise Ranch air afterward? All I can say is, thank goodness for Ten.

So after Park Ki-woong blew us all out of the water with his incredibly dark, complex role in Gaksital, I don’t know that I want to see him playing another lovelorn second lead, and in a fluffy rom-com that’s a retread of the same old. (Rom-com hero? Now that’s a different story.) We know Noh Min-woo can handle serious fare (Midas), and Hwang Jung-eum recently wrapped up successful medical drama Golden Time. It makes you wonder how they feel about Full House 2 coming out now.

October 9, 2012 at 7:57 PM

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Yep. I second that.

As for Noh Min-woo's... Well, call me crazy, but I think the hairstylist that's assigned to him was attempting to recreate Benedict Cumberbatch/Sherlock's do -- but fell short of successfully doing so.

November 25, 2012 at 8:58 AM

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I too was reluctant to start this one. But it does get better and rather addicting. Now I'm eagerly awaiting tomorrow's episode. So fans of these actors must give this drama a chance and I hope you won't regret it. Anyway, you'll know if you like it by the end of the first episode *grins*.

October 9, 2012 at 3:15 PM

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Mark my words: That THING is going to be worst than Dr Jin on the open scale of train wrecks. Japanese trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9KhgXJT2Fs
I know a lot of people will cry for the wasted Park Ki-woong... As for me I want to save Noh Min-woo from that nightmare. Who are the stylists and hairdressers of that show? How could they do this to him? Huhuhu...

October 9, 2012 at 4:29 PM

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I know! Noh Min Woo! I have not seen the guy in years and this happens and I want to hide under a rock for him from second-hand embarrassment. His managers and him better be working over time to get in a new show,lol.

I'm hoping Park Ki Woong will be fine. I want to see him in more and more things and I'm hoping this won't change people's feelings about his acting, like those who don't know this was filmed way before Gaksital.

October 9, 2012 at 7:48 PM

October 9, 2012 at 3:26 PM

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Myst, I was going to link that awful trailer but thankfully you beat me to it. Linking it would mean seeing it again. *shudders*

I was saying the exact same thing as it relates to this airing 'now'. The drama scene is abuzz with Park Ki Woong's phenomenal acting and now to see him in.....this. *facepalm* I'll avoid it like the plague. I like Noh Min Woo alright enough although his last role in Midas was pretty much wasted. Hwang Jang Eum played a nice anti-typical-heroine role in Golden Time that I appreciated. Tut tut...oh well, not all dramas on one's resume will look good. :D

October 9, 2012 at 3:44 PM

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Wow, I totally thought this came out already, earlier this year, and I just missed it. I'm surprised it didn't...it shall not be as good as the first but I might watch it, for the eye candies No Min Woo and Park Ki Woong.

October 9, 2012 at 3:53 PM

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Apparently the thing is already on DVD too...lol....and I thought that it would end there
I think the biggest travesty is the hair on our leads and what it has done to all the pretty....but of course that's a point thats been discussed already...I do wanna add that Hwang Jung Eum really needs to fire her godawful hair stylist...whoever it is...I mean we got the upside bowl in CYHMH then this rag in FH2 and then the bad hair in Golden Time too..maybe she can look into getting Lee Min Ho's hair stylist

October 9, 2012 at 10:30 PM

October 9, 2012 at 4:01 PM

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I thought it isn't going to air after all, oh well, never plan to watch it, more after watched the preview.
HJE with that kind of hairstyle...
does the stylist is her antifan, because she's so lucky to have 2 pretty men to kiss her?

October 9, 2012 at 4:21 PM

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Uggggggggggh! It came. I'm still in denial. They finally took it out of Pandora's Box. Please someone...put it back. I really wanted them to keep it locked up without an airdate 5ever. Why, Drama gods, why?

October 9, 2012 at 4:28 PM

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Why does everyone sound so harsh n pessimistic? Except for the really poor choice of hairstyle, it looks like a fun series based on the trailer. I think it's a little different than paradise ranch case bcoz (or dr jin for that matter) because all the main leads here r great actors.

Unless someone has actually watched the one that airs in japan and know from that that the script n directing are reallyt bad? Now that would be a more solid base to give critisms, me thinks.

October 9, 2012 at 4:41 PM

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If that drama is watchable in the end and manages to make me laugh and cry for the good reasons, I will post a public apology on dramabeans. Every material I could find (videos, BTS, pics) is cringe worthy.

October 9, 2012 at 5:01 PM

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It's not critcism, it's just a bad feeling. A really bad feeling. The fact that it was stuck in limbo for, like, 2 years before it got an air date is reason enough to be pessimistic. Then there's the fact that's it's pretty much a non-related sequel that came yeaaaars after the original. (Then there's also the fact that I didn't even like the original.) And like Mysti said, it looks bad just from videos. It may be better than it appears, buuuut I'm really not too sure. Also everyone's worried that it may be a setback for the actors involved if it flops, which it just might. Seriously, SBS Plus? I didn't even know that existed...

October 9, 2012 at 5:09 PM

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I think there are two main reasons that make people less than ethusiastic. For one the plot is something we've all seen a good gazillion times, sometimes in a better, sometimes in worse quality. The first Full House was decent, had great actors and became a hit. It will be difficult to make it again - can any of those actors repeat Rain's and SHK success? Is the actress as beautiful and charming? Is anyone as cute as Rain? *giggles to old memories*
Moreover the fact, that a sequel has been talked about for ages and then gathered moss on shelf for just as long makes me think, that the outcome doesn't seem attractive even to broadcasters - who wouldn't want to earn on the great success that FH was? There must have been a reason, that the mighty ones didn't buy it.
But of course, they can be simply wrong.
I am in the group that don't hold their breath waiting for the premiere, even though I did enjoy Rock Rock Rock with Noh Minwoo :)

October 10, 2012 at 1:24 AM

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Because all the signs pointing to that this is just not gonna be good are there. Shelving a project that long - uhoh. (Although, if I remember correctly, What's Up was shelved for a while as well, that was fairly decent - not amazing, but pretty good at times.)

Personally, I wasn't even much a fun of the original Full House. The whole thing about 'friends' selling your house and forgiving them was just too mind-boggling to me. Scratch that, I found it outrageous and upsetting to the point that it irritated intensely me the whole time I watched that drama.

October 9, 2012 at 5:02 PM

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Let's not forget PKW does have a new project coming out -- I think he's doing that movie "Covertness" -- it's kind of a comedy. Hopefully a dark comedy (hopefully) -- and he'll be playing one of the three main leads as a North Korean undercover spy. I haven't heard any news from his management agency but it sounds like the movie has cast him

October 9, 2012 at 6:59 PM

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*sigh* so not feeling the love for this show. i was already very skeptical about a remake based solely on my love for the irrational, frustrating but totally loveable original show . . . but the different stars, the retreaded premise, the obvious problems the production has run into make me not want to bother.

October 9, 2012 at 11:10 PM

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there's vampire prosecutor 2! thank god it didnt plunged to nothingness with the new director. i guess for kdrama to survive season 2, they need the old cast! goong 2 and dream high was a waste of time. srsly.

October 9, 2012 at 7:26 PM

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Ohhhh.....I don't feel like watching it just because of each one of their hair style.....how will i manage to go through it for entire 16 or so episodes when i'm resisting it so much just in a photo....

October 9, 2012 at 7:52 PM

October 9, 2012 at 9:21 PM

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The trailer posted in one of the earlier comments makes this series feel like KPOP The Ultimate Audition or whatever (specifically it reminds me of the scene where the yoobrother got pants and there was screaming.....). Everything about it screams ewwww to me: the hair of the leads, No MinWoo's effeminate looks, the cheap-and-overly-cartoony feel.... I think it was shelved for over 7 years for a reason. Alas, we'll have to wait to it to air for the final verdict.

October 10, 2012 at 2:13 AM

October 10, 2012 at 3:11 AM

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I have a soft spot in my heart for Full House, because it was the drama that introduced me to kdramas and Hallyu culture in general, but this sequel doesn't sound appealing in the least. And looking back with a more critical eye on Full House I cringe at its numerous flaws - badly and over used soundtrack (those few piano notes will stay imprinted forever) - repetitive storytelling - over the top melo and acting... Like you said in another post, the drama landscape has evolved so much over the past few years that making a sequel so long after the original aired makes no sense, not even from a marketing point of view, because the success it had then would probably not happen today.

October 10, 2012 at 5:08 AM

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YAY! I am a little worried about the stars being taken a bit less seriously after this, but I seriously need some less-serious Park Ki-woong to heal my wounded heart.
It will suck to see him as second lead again, though maybe it'll work out.... Maybe he'll be more of a friend-oppa whose not really interested in her and only serves to get Noh Min-woo jealous. I hope so!
Hwaiting!

October 10, 2012 at 5:10 AM

October 10, 2012 at 6:09 AM

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I'm just curious..so i'm asking....

I have seen in dramas like best love,full house etc that even the top actors perform all household work like cooking,etc on their own...so is it like this in Korea that everyone does the work by themselves??

October 10, 2012 at 6:57 AM

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I can tell I'm gonna have second lead syndrome just based on the hairstyles. I'll never understand why some dramas insist on giving their heroins hideous bowlcuts and ajumma perms. Maybe they want to make them more easy to relate too, but all they do is making my eyes bleed.